This image released by the European Space Agency and courtesy of Dave Herald, was acquired by amateur astronomer Dave Herald, Murrumbateman, Australia, earlier on April 15, 2013. It shows the approximately 50 m-diameter object about seven hours before closest approach. Asteroid 2012 DA14 is predicted to make closest approach to Earth at 20:27 CET on 15 February 2013. It will not impact Earth, however it will pass within about 28 000 km. â€œThis is well inside the geostationary ring, where many communication satellites are located,â€ says Detlef Koschny, Head of NEO activities at ESA's Space Situational Awareness programme office.â€œThere is no danger to these satellites, however, as the asteroid will come â€˜from belowâ€™ and not intersect the geostationary belt.â€While tiny against the vastness of our Solar System, it should be visible in Europe to anyone with a good pair of binoculars and an idea of where to look.
RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / ESA - DAVE HERALD" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS -Dave Herald/AFP/Getty Images less

This image released by the European Space Agency and courtesy of Dave Herald, was acquired by amateur astronomer Dave Herald, Murrumbateman, Australia, earlier on April 15, 2013. It shows the approximately 50 ... more

Photo: Dave Herald, AFP/Getty Images

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This image provided by NASA/JPL-Caltech shows a simulation of asteroid 2012 DA14 approaching from the south as it passes through the Earth-moon system on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The 150-foot object will pass within 17,000 miles of the Earth. NASA scientists insist there is absolutely no chance of a collision as it passes. (AP Photo/NASA/JPL-Caltech) less

This image provided by NASA/JPL-Caltech shows a simulation of asteroid 2012 DA14 approaching from the south as it passes through the Earth-moon system on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The 150-foot object will pass ... more

Photo: Uncredited, Associated Press

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Asteroid buzzes Earth in clear night sky

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A 150-foot asteroid hurtled through Earth's backyard Friday, coming within an incredible 17,150 miles and making the closest known flyby for a rock of its size. In a chilling coincidence, a meteor exploded above Russia just hours before the asteroid zoomed past the planet.

Scientists the world over, along with NASA, insisted the meteor had nothing to do with the asteroid because they appeared to be traveling in opposite directions. The asteroid is a much more immense object and delighted astronomers in Australia and elsewhere who watched it zip harmlessly through a clear night sky.

Asteroid 2012 DA14, as it's called, came closer to Earth than many communication and weather satellites orbiting 22,300 miles up. Scientists insisted these, too, would be spared, and they were right.

The asteroid was too small to see with the naked eye even at its closest approach over the Indian Ocean near Sumatra.

The best viewing locations, with binoculars and telescopes, were in Asia, Australia and eastern Europe. Even there, all anyone could see was a pinpoint of light as the asteroid buzzed by at 17,400 mph.

As asteroids go, this one is a shrimp. The one that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was 6 miles across. But this rock could still do immense damage if it ever struck given its 143,000-ton heft, releasing the energy equivalent of 2.4 million tons of TNT and wiping out 750 square miles.

Most of the solar system's asteroids are situated in a belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, and remain stable there for billions of years. Some occasionally pop out, though, into Earth's neighborhood. NASA scientists estimate that an object of this size makes a close approach like this every 40 years. The likelihood of a strike is every 1,200 years.